Precious 'Mom-ents': On Mother's Day, here's how entrepreneurs celebrate their moms

Another Mother’s Day has arrived on the second Sunday of May and it is usually the day when you shower your mom with flowers, gifts, cakes and many thoughtful gestures to remind her of how special she is. This year, the scenario may have changed due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown and social distancing, but you can still celebrate your mother in so many other ways.

If she lives with you, the best way to enjoy the occasion is to spend the day with her, watching her favourite movies or cooking her special foods, which she might actually enjoy more than a bunch of expensive gifts. If she lives far away from you, you can catch up with her on Zoom or hangouts and talk about memories past or plans for the future.

Another way to honour your mother on Mother’s Day is by reflecting on all the fondest memories you have of her, and remembering the advice she gave you while you were growing up and how your relationship with her has changed over the years.

On Mother’s Day, YSWeekender caught up with some well-known entrepreneurs and celebs to find out their thoughts about their moms and what they plan to do with their mothers once is lockdown is lifted. Would they talk now on the phone and party later? Are they planning a trip after the lockdown? What is the best advice they have ever received from them?

Here are their responses…

Malini Agarwal (Founder and Creative Director, MissMalini Entertainment)

Malini Agarwal is the Founder and Creative Director of her company, MissMalini Entertainment and also Founder of Malini's Girl Tribe (a woman-oriented group on FB having 40K+ women). She is also a digital influencer, a TV host, an entrepreneur and a best-selling author.

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

My mom always told me whatever you do, do it well. It doesn't matter what career you choose, as long as you work hard, work with integrity and have fun while you do it! Which is why I got to follow my dreams and got to where we are now!

What is the fondest memory of your mom?  

I remember my mom sitting in the front row with her video camera, always filming my performances, whether I was in a school play or dancing professionally on stage.

What do you plan to do with your mom first when the lockdown is over?

I am looking forward to bringing her to Mumbai for her usual trips to come and hang out, be with me on the set for shoots and take her to parties. Believe it or not, she's a bigger party animal than I am!

Sejal Kumar (actor, musician & YouTuber)

Sejal Kumar started her YouTube channel in 2014 and her first video was shot in Turkey. She chose to skip college placements and take up doing videos on YouTube as a full-time job. She journeyed across the world making YouTube videos for fun, eventually monetising the platform that showcases videos of her singing, dancing, acting and creating fashion and lifestyle content. In 2020, she also partnered with Creators for Change with YouTube and Michelle Obama Foundation, and released her first original song to support Girls Education globally.

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

The best advice I’ve got from my mother is to have an incredible amount of self-belief and be sure of who I am and my abilities.

What is the fondest memory of your mom?  

The fondest memory of my mom is that she used to wear a saree every day for work to go to the hospital. As a kid I used to sit on the floor in front of the mirror and help her fold the pleats of her saree. That’s a memory I hold close to my heart because I used to ask her “Yeh kaunsi saree hai, yeh kya material hai” and my mom would scold me if I didn’t do the pleats properly (haha).

What do you plan to do with your mom first when the lockdown is over?

Hopefully go shopping at a street market, like Dilli Haat.

Ritu Rathee Taneja (YouTuber, pilot)

After becoming a pilot, Ritu Rathee Taneja began vlogging with her husband Gaurav Taneja for their channel, Flying beast. Today their two channels on YouTube have a total of 2.5 million subscribers

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

It’s not really any advice but something I’ve picked up and learned from my mother through the years – and that is – how to selflessly help people and show empathy. I’ve seen her wake up at the wee hours of the morning just to help someone in need, all by herself. Once my mum woke up at 2:30 am just to drive a female blue-collar worker to the hospital because she was in pain. I think actions speak louder than words and that’s why I didn’t necessarily pick up any advice but have imbibed qualities that I saw she possessed.

What is the fondest memory of your mom?  

I lost my mother, Santro Devi, in 2010, so it's been 10 years now but I still remember, whenever she used to come back home, I used to run to her. I would hold her in a tight hug and not let go. When I would come back from school or college, I would only look for her.

What do you plan to do when the lockdown is over?

I don’t have my mum, but I’d definitely like to take my father along for a layover in a good place. Since I’m a pilot, I travel a lot for my job, so once the travel ban gets lifted and we’re all rid of the coronavirus, I will surely take him along and show him around, because I feel like my parents didn’t live their life as much as they should have. They were so focused on getting things done for us.

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Geeta Ramakrishnan (Ontological coach and author)

Geeta Ramakrishnan has rich experience in coaching on change management and assisting people professionally and personally. She wants to help bring to their lives a balance of success and happiness and help them discover their ‘AHA’ moment.

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

She told me, 'Dream big in life and follow through the dream with passion. Don’t sit happily with the small wins in-between, nor feel bad about the small impediments on the way. Just learn your lessons, good or bad, and look ahead. That it is how you will find your happiness and meaning in life’.

What is the fondest memory of your mom?

While I live far away from my mom, she and her mom live together. I always saw to it that my mom is comfortable and well looked after. I made the mandatory daily ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you’ calls, and life went by. But a few years back, I decided to spend quality time with her. For the first time in many, many years, I learned so much more about her, not just as a mom, but as a person. It was a different kind of emotional bonding, and a fond memory to treasure.

What do plan to do with your mom first when the lockdown is over?

Since she is living with her mother and without any house help right now, I keep motivating and cheering her up every day. Once the lockdown is over, my friend and I want to go on a ‘mother-daughter’ trip with both our moms.  

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Trrishant Sidhwaani (Co-Founder, DreamzKrraft)

Trrishant Sidhwaani has double majored in Finance and Marketing from the Kelly School of Business. He comes from a business family that has been successfully running DreamzKrraft as a profitable business for nearly two decades. He has also co-founded Flickbay, an IMDB equivalent for Bollywood.

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

The best advice I have got from my mother is to consciously be grateful for every small little thing in life. Having gratitude is the key to happiness and success.

What is the fondest memory of your mom?

When I was young, I heard someone using a bad word and started ranting about it at home. My mom told me it is a bad word and to stop using it or else she would stuff red chillies in my mouth. I didn't stop and so, she stuffed red chillies into my mouth.

What do plan to do with your mom first when the lockdown is over.

Once the lockdown is over, I look forward to going back to work with my mom.

Aakanksha Gupta (Co-founder, The Other Circle)

Aakanksha Gupta aims to rewrite the handbook on the role of communications in India. Having worked in some of India’s most reputed communication firms, her roots originally lie in Corporate & Financial PR, but her passion for all things hospitality and lifestyle encouraged Gupta to start ‘The Other Circle’

What is the best advice you have got from your mother?

My mother has always said, "You may never stop working hard, but remember to take a pause. You can choose to face difficult life situations with it or allow the situation to dominate you - you will always have that choice." She keeps on reminding me that we have the power to respond or react and that we need to build the wisdom to use both/ either when appropriate.

What is the fondest memory of your mom?

After I quit my last job, I was lost and needed to recharge my batteries and start afresh. My mother and I decided to backpack all across Karnataka, where she helped me soul search and where we also grew very close. She is a real daredevil and she rode a moped across Hampi and Gokarna like a true star. It is a vision of her that I can never forget.

What do plan to do with your mom first when the lockdown is over?

My mother plans to take me out for a mother-daughter dinner. She says she is tired of my cooking and would rather have a sizzler instead.